One Less Mistake

Summary: What if Lorelai hadn't gotten pregnant until she was 20? What if she had agreed to marry Christopher when she did? AU.

Pairings: Rory/Dean, with Lor/Luke later on

Disclaimer: All of these characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB

Rory pushed through the door.

"Lorelai Leigh Hayden!" Lorelai yelled. "Where the hell have you been all night? And why are you wearing some guy's old stuff?"

"Mom..."

"What happened?"

"Madeline and Louise dragged me to some nightclub."

"What the hell happened, Rory?"

"Louise was going to go put the moves on Dean, and I told her not to, drank a little bit, and I..."

"Dean! Did Dean do something to you?"

"No, Mom! I was wasted, and I came over to him, and was coming on pretty hard, so..."

"So he took you home and raped you?"

"He changed me out of the things Madeline and Louise picked out for me, because he could tell I was uncomfortable. He gave me his bed and slept on the floor. He drove forty minutes to get me the best pancakes because he knew I'd be hungover."

"Go to your room."

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Lorelai walked up to the door and knocked. It swung open to reveal Dean.

"Lorelai, I know you probably hate me right now, but I was only trying to help her." she nodded.

"I know you were." she hugged him. "Thank you. I'll probably be seeing you around."

"Yeah. Bye, Lorelai."

"Bye. Oh, and Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful with her. She really likes you, I can tell, don't break her heart."

"I don't plan to."

"She doesn't really have any experience with guys. It's insane, I mean she'll be eighteen in a month, and she's my daughter. But she doesn't."

"I'll be careful with her. I promise."

"I can see why she likes you. You're probably the best first boyfriend a girl could have. Not that you have to date her."

"Thanks, Lorelai, but I think you're wrong about her being into me. I told her I cared about her and she completely flipped. Ran out of the dorm."

"Oh. See you around, Dean." she got in the car. If Dean wasn't smart enough to figure out that she was just being shy, he didn't deserve her.